The 253 five

This 5-unit residential project is located in Tacoma’s Hilltop neighborhood. We call it The 253 Five, a housing community that will be breaking ground in the next few months. The heavily sloped site drops 30’ in elevation from the street to the alley, allowing sweeping views including Mt. Rainier. The zoning code required a minimum density of 5 housing units on the site and our client asked that we look at individual homes as one option.

Each house is 3 floors, 2 bedrooms and 1400 square feet. Rooftop balconies provide private outdoor space and capture the mountain views. Ground-level passages and linked terraces provide a network of semi-public space. We envision the passages similar to narrow streets in Europeans towns, and the spaces where sidewalks and terraces meet as social places where neighbors can meet neighbors. Rooftop balconies and mid-level terraces will create private outdoor spaces carved from simple overall building forms. Two of the houses will face the street continuing the current pattern of development in the area.